Visors and rearview mirrors for helmets

Abstract

A visor that is especially useful for motorcycle riders and especially for off-road motorcycle racing. The visor has a sun shade member and a mirror. The mirror is affixed to an under surface of the sun shade member. The mirror has a continuous convex surface with a curvature that is free of discontinuations and step changes. The mirror is spaced an effective distance from the user's eyes and has a lateral span and a longitudinal span that are large enough so that the helmet wearer can simultaneously see approximately the same field of view to a side and rear with each eye by a slight turn and tilt of the user's head while an unobstructed line of sight in the direction of travel is retained. The invention also includes a mirror that can be retrofitted to various sun shade members and a kit for retrofitting the mirror in existing sun shade members.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Riders of two wheel vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles have conceived a variety of devices for appraising activity occurring behind their vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,069 disclosed a helmet-mountable face shield with single planar mirror positioned below eye level to reflect the user's line of sight rearward and below the maximum width of the helmet. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 224,821 disclosed a helmet-attachable visor with spaced apart left and right rearward directed planar mirrors. U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,495 disclosed a helmet-mounted visor with a prism that directs the wearer's line of sight upwards and an adjustable planar mirror that then directs the line of sight back over the top of the helmet. The mirror is attached to an upright support mounted on the top of the visor.[0002]More complex devices for other uses have also been conceived. For example, U.S. Pat. No. Re 28,847 disclosed a pilot's helmet with an optical system having a ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0027]It is also desirable that such mirror-containing attachments be completely above the eye level of the helmet wearer so that such attachments can not interfere with the motorcycle rider's line of sight to the front of the motorcycle or his peripheral sight.

[0029]Therefore; although this invention is particularly useful for off-road motorcycle racing, it will be apparent that this invention can also be used for riding on surface streets and highways and for bicycling so that the user can appraise the traffic behind him without losing sight of the traffic ahead.

Problems solved by technology

These hazards can be particularly dangerous to the motorcycle rider if not seen especially when racing.

Thus it is risky for an off-road motorcycle rider to turn his body and head around to look directly over the rear of his motorcycle to directly view the activity behind his motorcycle.

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